Fatback is a cut of "meat" off the back of the pig. It's mostly fat and it's fried until crispy. Sort of like pork rinds, but harder to chew. It's also very salty. I love it, but I can only eat a very little bit of it due to the salt. There's a really tiny layer of meat and a much larger layer of fat. sort of similar to bacon but sliced thicker and less meat and it's not "cured" like bacon.

The Confederate Army basically lived on fatback for 4 years as it was salt cured and could be carried easily in a haversack. It's another of those "poor people's" meats.

My husband is happy because the neighborhood church is having a fundraising dinner and serving chitlins. I've told him to eat it there and not even bring that nasty stuff in the house.

There's a lot that I will eat, but I don't eat "organ" meat. Especially the organ that is the digestive tract. EWWW

And I have at least tried most things before I say they are gross. I have had both chitlins and pickled pigs feet and one bit was enough to make me look for a place to spit it back out and be able to say they are GROSS. :)

04-17-2009, 04:05 PM

prhoshay

Re: General Food Talk

I tried "chitlins" for the first time when I was 18, and found out that I really loved them!! :lol I seldom get to eat them anymore. I thought that they did not taste like they smelled when they were cooking. When I was in college, a friend decided to cook some and I thought I'd help him clean them. My hands (palms only) started itching so badly, and turned fire engine red, and nothing I could do would stop the itch! :omg I do have to admit that it is disgusting to think of what they are, but with hot sauce and cole slaw and greens and cornbread, they sure were good going down! :lol Hard to believe.

I've only had them baked or boiled (I guess that would be the term), but I always heard the Clampetts talk about fried chitlins. :lol I also learned, from my friend, that if you put onion slices around the top of the pot that they are cooking in, you will not stink up your house! You would never know that they had even been cooked there. That was pretty amazing. :nod

04-17-2009, 04:46 PM

MRD

Re: General Food Talk

My mother refused to cook them because of how they smelled, so the local owner of the funeral home found out that my dad liked them and his wife used to deliver them to our house, all cooked with cornbread and greens. Since they also lived above the funeral home, I was doublely grossed out as a kid when the chitlin delivery was made. Back then, I was more squemish about death than I am now.

Most people that I know that eat them fry them.

04-17-2009, 07:07 PM

doxie

Re: General Food Talk

Quote:

Originally Posted by myrosiedog;3416836;

I'm going to take him to a real homestyle "meat and three" restaurant for breakfast on Sun.: grits, country ham, red eye gravy, fried fatback, eggs any way (just no omelettes), etc.
I'll probably have to put him in the plane on Mon in a fat induced coma. :lol

Yum! I LOVE red eye gravy. I hope that you have a nice visit with your brother and I know he's going to appreciate all that good food!

I must hang my little Southern head in shame and admit that I have never had fatback. I'm not sure how I missed out on that! I have had chitlins occasionally and am not really fond of them. And, I once ate a pickled pigs foot (from a jar in a gas station :omg)... Let's just say that there WAS alcohol involved and, thankfully, I barely remember how nasty that thing was. :)

04-17-2009, 07:45 PM

MRD

Re: General Food Talk

Quote:

Originally Posted by doxie;3417308;

Yum! I LOVE red eye gravy. I hope that you have a nice visit with your brother and I know he's going to appreciate all that good food!

I must hang my little Southern head in shame and admit that I have never had fatback. I'm not sure how I missed out on that! I have had chitlins occasionally and am not really fond of them. And, I once ate a pickled pigs foot (from a jar in a gas station :omg)... Let's just say that there WAS alcohol involved and, thankfully, I barely remember how nasty that thing was. :)

Hey, some of the best food I've ever eaten was at gas stations. :lol Particularly the ones that do fried chicken livers and gizzards.
And I have eaten the pickled eggs out of a jar at gas stations too!

There would have to be a lot of alcohol involved to get me to eat pigs feet or chitlins again. :)

04-17-2009, 07:45 PM

prhoshay

Re: General Food Talk

Why do they call it "red eye gravy"?

04-17-2009, 07:49 PM

CaliLily

Re: General Food Talk

Quote:

Originally Posted by prhoshay;3417337;

Why do they call it "red eye gravy"?

Ignorant northerner here- what is red eye gravy?

04-17-2009, 10:17 PM

prhoshay

Re: General Food Talk

I can't imagine eating a pickled egg, either. What does that taste like?

04-17-2009, 11:50 PM

inthegarden

Re: General Food Talk

Quote:

Originally Posted by prhoshay;3417337;

Why do they call it "red eye gravy"?

I don't know why they call it Red-Eye gravy.
We always have it with fried country ham, biscuits, eggs, fried potatoes,
molasses, grits... and the way I make it is... I fry my country ham in a skillet w/ a small amount of water, after its done remove it from the pan. Cook down my pan drippings and add about 1/2 - 1 cup Coffee, Bring to a boil then let simmer, until it cooks down...split open a hot biscuit, pour red-eye gravy on and enjoy. I'm sure there are other recipes.
I would rather just have butter and molasses on my biscuits. :nod
I've never had chitlins, but smelled them cooking and decided I never wanted to taste them. As far as pickled pigs feet, I'll pass on those too. :ohno

04-18-2009, 12:00 AM

Ellen

Re: General Food Talk

I'm not a southerner, so I'm just guessing:
Maybe it's called red-eye gravy because of the coffee/caffeine?